Current high power, hydrogen thyratrons employ a titanium hydride reservoir that requires heating to approximately 700 degrees C. This results in an excessive consumption of power for the new tubes being designed for specialized purposes, as for example, airborne operations.
Cold-cathode-cold-reservoir thyratrons are required for laser/radar and other systems employing high voltage and current pulses. The great advantage of cold-cathode-cold-reservoir devices is the savings in weight, cost and power.
One of the difficulties with operating such cold-cathode-cold-reservoir thyratrons has been finding suitable hydrogen absorbing/desorbing materials. That is, suitable materials must exhibit a storage capacity for hydrogen and a reasonable desorption rate to be practical.